He may have been the best performed pacer in the three heats on the weekend, but Goulburn pacer Captains Knock will need some luck after drawing gate 9 for Saturday night’s $500,000 Inter Dominion Pacing championship grand final at Club Menangle.
On the other hand, champion horseman Luke McCarthy left Menangle with a huge smile on his face after his Eureka winner Don Hugo came up with the perfect draw in gate three.
Don Hugo, pictured above at the finish line, could scarcely have been more impressive last Saturday night at Menangle, winning the first of the round three heats.
He worked hard to find the front then raced away to score an emphatic win.
Captains Knock was also impressive, but his trainer-driver Brad Hewitt will be tossing and turning about all the likely scenarios after his stable star drew the awkward gate nine, behind one of the series surprise finalists Jilliby Nitro, who drew gate one.
Last Saturday night, Don Hugo dictated terms and raced away to score a 7.3m win over Jimartee and Jilliby Nitro in a slick 1:52.6 mile rate.
“Gee, he went super,” said his trainer-driver Luke McCarthy afterwards.
“There was that 48.3s lead time and I had to use him up a fair bit.
“But he raced really keen and that gives us a lot of confidence out of that run tonight.
“I actually put that first night down to trainer error – he was not super hard-fit that first night at Newcastle but he’s bounced out of that and now is right where he needs to be.
“Hopefully, after those two good runs, he’ll now be spot-on for next week.
“The barrier draw is important for every race and hopefully we can come off the front.”
The final draw is:
1. Jilliby Nitro
2. Dangerous
3. Don Hugo
4. My Moonlite Dream
5. Curly James
6. Terry
7. Jimartee
8. Nerano
9. Captains Knock
10. Max Delight
11. Minstrel
12. Petes Said So.
